


The Flower and The Fighter: Their Resolution

by Your1upGirl



Series: Aerith Week 2021 [7]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Aerith Week 2021, Aerti, Day Seven: Cherish the Memories, F/F, I loved writing this so I hope you like reading it, This is very soft but kinda sad, as always, please enjoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29418039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Your1upGirl/pseuds/Your1upGirl
Summary: Aerith's resolution scene from the FF7r. But rather than being with Cloud, she shares a moment with Tifa. For Aerith Week 2021. Day 7: Cherish the Memories
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Tifa Lockhart/Aerith Gainsborough
Series: Aerith Week 2021 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149536
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	The Flower and The Fighter: Their Resolution

Tifa didn’t understand why she was suddenly awoken during the middle of the night. Nor did she understand why Marlene wasn’t in the bed next to her or why Barret and Cloud were no longer against the wall of the room they all shared. Tifa looked around. _This must have been Aerith’s room _, she thought. Small potted plants were along the windowsill. Flowered vines swayed from the warm breeze as they draped out the window. Photos of Aerith with different people from the sector were on the floating shelves in her room. Tifa got out of bed to examine one. Aerith was with the children of the orphanage. Behind the group, was a mural of flowers in the shape of a Chocobo. All of the pictures seemed to be of Aerith helping someone; even the ones that captured her as a little girl showed her assisting Elmyra in the kitchen or the garden__

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A smile came across the fighter’s features. It seems as though this kindness was not a new found thing. This made Tifa feel even more guilty. Had they taken advantage of that kindness? Aerith gave herself up for Marlene. This whole rescue mission is all her fault. If she hadn’t gone to see Corneo, had she just stayed and done her best to get people to safety when they could have. Jessie and Biggs; could she have saved them? Tifa put the picture down and leaned against the wall. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time. Processing guilt, grief, and loss, that was something she always found herself troubled with; after everything that she had been through you would think it would all just become second nature. But this was different. It was never to this degree. 

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Aerith.

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Aerith changed everything. The young flower peddler had, in a short period of time, found a way into Tifa’s heart and she wasn’t leaving that spot for a while, if ever. Cloud was kind, a friend from childhood whom she loved yes, but her feelings for him never went past platonic. When it came to Aerith however, she could envision a future. A future of them together, a place where Aerith could plant and sell all the flowers she desired. It would put her current house to shame. Tifa would want to help her start a small flower shoppe if that’s what she wanted. They would work together, take walks to and from work or just wherever their hearts desired. They would talk about everything and nothing all at once. And at night they would hold each other, finding the purest form of comfort in eachother’s warmth. 

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Even if it was just a moment, Tifa could remember how soft Aerith’s hands were. She loved those hands. Delicate, yet strong. When they held each other at the train graveyard, Tifa remembered that Aerith was scared and that frightened the fighter more than any ghost could. Tifa didn’t want Aerith to have that fear in her ever again. She hugged herself as her back slid down against the wall until she was able to hug her knees to her chest. 

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Aerith–

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She wished she could always comfort Aerith. To hold and embrace Aerith. To love Aerith. Tifa snapped herself out of this stupor when a tear landed on her forearm. 

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“Crying won’t solve anything.” She spoke in a whispered exhale and took a sharp breath in to prevent anymore tears. “But damn does it feel good right now.” With one more deep breath and Tifa stood up to get some water down stairs, she assumed Elmyra wouldn’t mind. 

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Once in the kitchen, Tifa grabbed a cup and was about to fill it when she saw a distinct silhouette out the window. Her hair and dress blew in the light breeze and the light from the plate above gave this figure a soft glow. Tifa nearly dropped the glass in the sink. This had to be a dream, the rational part of her brain told her this was just a dream. And yet, as Tifa stepped outside, there was that small part of her that wanted it to be real. Begged it to be real. What threw her off was the sky. It was alive with streaks of blues, white, purples, and greens. And stars adorn the deep blue above. “So this is a dream then.” 

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All the while Aerith patiently waited for Tifa to arrive. She too was admiring the sky and the colors that graced them this night. But Aerith couldn’t focus, because she once again found herself at a loss for words. Talking to Barret was like talking to a father figure to her, and Cloud was similar to catching up with an old friend. However Tifa was something completely different. There was so much she wanted to say but could not even fathom on where to begin. 

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Tifa...Tifa was different. Aerith knew in her teenage years that she liked girls and boys and kept an open mind for both. She never felt nervous around anyone. She considered it her own personal challenge to getting to know anyone and everyone. If anything, she caused other people to get tongue tied. Everything just came so natural with Tifa. It never felt like flirting with Tifa because Aerith felt like she knew her all their lives. Here comes that dread again. Why was it that every time the idea of being with Tifa came to mind, her heart sank a bit? “Would it really be that bad,” she murmured?

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That foreboding feeling wasn't something she felt this whole time but only recently. It was those floating, faceless husks. Whenever they came by it felt as if a part of her went missing. Even if that part came back, for that moment, something was gone. But rarely, they would bring her a part that she didn’t know she needed. And it would always feel the same way she felt when around Tifa. Safe, home, like being welcomed by a lost lover. Recently however, emotions that were once welcomed turned to heartache when the husks came along. The sudden shift in sentiment frightened Aerith. It’s like the husks were trying to warn her. Warn her to not imagine this life she dreamed of. That’s why she had to meet Tifa. 

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“Aerith?” She turned and Tifa stood about two feet away. Her heart sank again. the look in her eyes, the strain in her voice the brunette knew too well because she felt the exact same way. But, Aerith did her best to smile and to maybe lift the mood. Mess with Tifa for a second. Get her flustered.

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“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Aerith never broke eye contact. The smile turned more genuine when she saw that Tifa had a blush to her cheeks and stammered a bit.

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“Ye-what?”

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“The sky, silly. It was like this when I went to see Cloud.”  
“You saw Cloud too? So this is a dream?” Tifa approached her, still weary that if she moved too fast, the scene would collapse.

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“Hmm...Maybe.” 

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“Aerith? Are you okay, everyone is worried about you. Did they hurt you?” No more smiles, nothing seemed to lighten the mood. 

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“Are you worried about me too, Tifa?” The flirtatious tone was gone, replaced by something serious, somber. She wanted an honest answer. It was a side Tifa wasn’t used to coming from the flower girl.

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“I was worried the moment you left to save Marlene.” She walked closer, “I was worried about you when I saw you got an audition with Corneo. I was worried when we fell into the sewers. And I was scared half to death when I thought I lost you to the ghosts at the station graveyard.” There's those tears again, but she couldn’t help it. “I was afraid of losing you then, I don’t want to lose you now.” This time Aerith closed the distance between them. 

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“That’s...that’s an awful lot of emotion for a friend.” Her eyes were downcast as she spoke “You’re more than that to me.” 

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Aerith’s eyes shot up; wide-eyed and glassy, “Tifa-”

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“I can’t bear the thought of losing you. I met you and I felt this intense, indescribable feeling. It wasn’t like anything I felt with anyone else. Not Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, Barret...not Cloud,” her green eyes widened at the final name., “I look at you Aerith and I feel secure. When I’m with you, I’m at home.” When Aerith smiled Tifa thought that it was for happiness, but when a small sob broke and she moved back, Tifa paled.

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“I wish you didn’t say that.”

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“Why? Aerith what-”

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“I love you Tifa, more than I thought I could ever love another person. But we can’t..I can’t..” With a deep breath she said, “You can’t be in love with me.” Tifa shook her head. The broken look was too much so she turned away and continued. “I should have said something before it got too far. I’m so sorry, but this feeling that you have is not real.” 

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“How can you-”

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“It will pass. This is just a fleeting-”

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“A flower shop!”

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Aerith looked back, “What?”

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“Seventh Heaven, we could turn it into a flower shop if they ever fix the plate. Or we could open one above the plate or past the wall! I know how much you love flowers and each one has a different meaning right? You could tell the whole world about them. Cloud could make deliveries for us if the customer lives far. And we could get a house with enough land for you to grow as many flowers as you like. We would run the shop together and live our lives together.”

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“I see. So, you’ve given this some thought then?”

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“I’ve never really thought about a future. I was always just telling myself to just get through the day, week, whatever. But when I met you, I wanted to think about the years ahead of me, not just the hours, but the lifetime I could spend with you.”

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Aerith was crying now but doing her best to say composed, “You-you’re making this a lot harder than it needs to be you know.”

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“You're afraid of the unknown. I can see it in your eyes. You don’t have to be Aerith, I’m here with you.”

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“You're right. I am afraid.” Her green eyes met Tifa’s ruby ones in this moment of unscripted honesty. “I’m afraid of the sky, the world outside of the wall. I’m afraid of-of this future you want for us.” She came closer, “I didn’t consider the future either. You’re right. The unknown, it terrifies me. But with you-” Aerith held Tifa’s cheek, her ring finger wiping a tear, “You make me feel like I can conquer anything it throws at me.” Carefully, Aerith wrapped her arms up and across Tifa’s back, her head finding sanctuary in the crook of her neck. “And that too terrifies me.” Tifa followed suit but hugged around her waist, her head leaning close to Aerith’s. 

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“Please, don’t be afraid when I’m here.”

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Aerith wished she could stay like this forever, but knew this couldn’t last--at least for right now. They separated just enough for their foreheads to lean against one another. Eyes closed and cheeks stained from their previous moment of lament. Aerith then whispered, “It’s time to go.” She could feel Tifa’s head shake; she held her tighter.

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“I’m coming to get you, I promise.”

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“I know. Thank you.” It was as soft as this fleeting moment. Tifa then felt nothing against her and saw Aerith walking away from where they had previously embraced. Aerith appeared to be made of whips of green that reformed to her body as she walked away. “Sorry, it’s the only way I could get you to leave. Or else I’m sure you would stay here forever, right?” She winked at Tifa. There was the flirtatious nature everyone knew. 

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It made Tifa smile; she rubbed one eye and replied, “You know I wouldn’t want it any other way.” With that she woke up. Lying in the bed, she could make out small fits of laughter probably from Marlene helping Elmyra. Cloud and Barret approached when they saw her sit up.

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“You alright Tifa? Cloud said that you were crying but we couldn’t wake you up.” Barret kneeled next to the bed Cloud following suit.

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“Did she see you too?” Cloud asked.

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“Huh? Oh you mean Aerith? Yeah…I saw her. We-we talked.”

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“And?”

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With newfound determination, stemming from anger, loss, and love, Tifa threw the sheets off of her, put her boots back on and pushed past Barret and Cloud.  
“There’s no way in hell I’m going to let them hurt Aerith.”

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**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! See you at the last fic :)


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